This story follows the end of "Sari Beyond Endgame." Sari is now a Cybertronian citizen, and a member of Optimus Prime's team. She must grow and learn how to become a fully-functioning (although extremely gifted) team member as a technorganic among a group of seasoned Autobots.
One major problem exists: there is a Decepticon posse led by Swindle, bent on abducting Sari, in order to steal and market her much-valued mods. Until she becomes better at defending herself, Optimus' team are not only Sari's comrades-in-arms, they're also her protectors.
Assisting her in her development is Jazz, who has taken over her cyber-ninja training from Prowl, and her father, who is providing the much-needed human side of her growth.
It's been one month since Optimus returned from Cybertron. The Autobot High Council had approved the transfer of Jazz to Optimus Prime's team. After the capture of Megatron, Jazz had been reassigned back to Sentinel Prime's team, and this new transfer was done despite the loud protestations of Sentinel.
"You want to do WHAT?" objected Sentinel Prime during a special encrypted telecommunication with the Council. "I just got my top Lieutenant back. I have him exactly where I need him. He's doing the job I trained him to do, and now you're taking him away from me – again. For what purpose, may I ask?"
"Jazz is to report to Earth immediately, to begin training the technorganic Sari Sumdac in the cyber-ninja arts. He will resume the training that she had been receiving from the cyber-ninja Prowl," said Perceptor.
"Well, that's just great," said Sentinel. "And I suppose he will be reporting to that washout Optimus Prime?"
"Yes, Sentinel," said Ultra Magnus. "Optimus Prime is to be in charge of the team on Earth. The technorganic's mods are coming on faster than anticipated, and it is the opinion of the Council that she will benefit from Jazz' tutoring of the cyber-ninja arts as a way to fully master her abilities."
"Well, it will take me a good orbital cycle to get to earth. At least I will have Jazz until then," said Sentinel.
"Negative," said Perceptor. "You will return to Cybertron immediately, and Jazz will use the space bridge to transport to Earth."
Sentinel Prime could only grind his mouthplate; Jazz concealed his amusement. As incredibly aggravating as it was to Sentinel to have the Council transfer one of his Elite Guard deputies to that "washout" Optimus, it was a great relief to Jazz, who was chafing under his egotistical leadership style.
The transfer to Earth did not occur immediately, since Sentinel's ship was out on maneuvers. As soon as it returned to Cybertron, Jazz wasted no time and took the next space bridge for Earth. He arrived two weeks after Optimus.
When not providing cyber-ninja training to Sari, Jazz worked with Arcee in the Ark-32 monitoring the skies for the imminent arrival of the Decepticons. Optimus was glad for the additional team member, since Swindle was a master arms dealer and could arrive equipped with any number of illegal weapons in his effort to abduct Sari. The more seasoned fighters he had with him when the time came, the better.
"So, how is Sari doing with the training, Jazz?" asked Optimus.
"Optimus, man, her cyber-ninja potentials are off the charts. And Ratchet tells me her mods go far beyond anything most Autobots have, much less technorganics. It's her inner peace that holds everything together. There's something in her Human-Cybertron makeup that does it. She told me about Prowl talking to her in the AE-35. That WAS Prowl, man, of that I have no doubt. I told her such, and it was a great relief to her."
"But dig it, Optimus: only advanced cyber-ninja practitioners can speak to one another from inside the Well of AllSparks to our side – you get my drift?"
"Do you think Sari should move back to Cybertron?" Optimus asked.
"Only if her father were to move with her, which I doubt he could do" said Jazz. "Her father is a key piece of the puzzle – I sense it."
"Yes, I've noticed that as well," said Optimus. "With humans apparently, the parent/child relationship is something very special, and without that, I don't think Sari would do well at all."
"So what are your recommendations, Jazz?"
"First of all, it's good that we continue her training here and now instead of waiting six months," said Jazz. "You have that abandoned building y'all used for your base of operations back in Detroit? Prowl had an obstacle course; we can use that. I also want to use Prowl's room. Hopefully his tree is doing well – I think it would be good for Sari to tend Prowl's tree as a link to him."
"Sounds good," said Optimus. "When you get back to Sumdac Towers, discuss it with the Professor. It's his building – although believe it or not, sometimes I'm not sure he knows it."
That afternoon, Sari and her Dad were enjoying their weekly lunch at Burger Bot. It was a special father-daughter "date" they made up for each other, to get away from all the classroom, cyber-ninja training, business affairs grind.
"So, Sari," asked Isaac, "How are things going with Jazz?"
Sari put down her vanilla shake. "He's really good, Dad. Not quite like Prowl, but he's got a cool, laid-back way about him. At first, he wanted to see where I left my training off with Prowl. Now he wants to pick up from there and start taking me up to new levels."
"Oh? Like what?"
"Well," said Sari, motioning with a french fry. "There's processor-over-matter, which I used in the AE-35, but Jazz said the level I used was very basic." Sari popped the french fry in her mouth, took another sip of her shake, then remembered something. She put the shake down. "Oh, Dad! Jazz said that it WAS Prowl that spoke to me. Isn't that something?"
"It was Prowl? Remarkable, Sari!"
"Yes! And that with proper training I can reach much higher levels - he calls it 'p-o-m', and do much more with it, like, remember how Prowl was able to release the stasis cuffs?"
"Ah yes, I remember when that happened. It was when I was a captive of Megatron. He was humming. Bumblebee kept complaining about the humming. Then eventually, the cuffs just popped off his servos," said Isaac.
"Right. That level's very advanced. I couldn't do that yet," said Sari. And there are other advanced techniques, like Metallikato and Circuit-Su. Metallikato is an ancient martial art. With Circuit-Su, you can actually harness your spark energy as a physical attack."
"Jazz also told me about another cyber-ninja art, called Crystalocution, in which opponents are defeated by striking their metal fracture points. That one sounds interesting!" She said.
Sari munched on her burger. "Mmmfh, good burger!"
"I imagine mastering those arts take a long time, Sari," said Isaac.
"These techniques can take many years, but Jazz has high expectations for me," she said. "So, how are things at the office?"
"Oh, the usual, my dear," chuckled her Dad. "The board has complaints, the factories always want to do more, and my scientists always need more money. It's always fun, you know how it goes." He smiled. "You sure you don't want that Vice President of Operations position?" He winked.
"Ha! No thanks, Dad. Optimus says he needs me. As soon as I'm ready, he says my abilities will be put to good use in defense of both Earth and Cybertron."
"Oh, of that, I have NO doubt whatsoever, my Sari!" Isaac looked around and lowered his voice. "The sensors and protection devices are running at full capacity. And when we get back inside I have something I want to show you."
After lunch, Sari and her Dad headed back to Sumdac Tower. They took the elevator to the top floor where Isaac had his control center. "This is what I wanted to show you," he said. "Arcee and I have been working on a quantum cryptographic encryption protocol that will allow us to communicate between here and the Arc-32 without anyone eavesdropping. We're about to try it for the first time. Would you like to see?"
"Quantum…what? Sure, whatever! I've been hoping to be able to talk to everyone over there. Fire it up!"
Isaac turned on the equipment. "It takes a few seconds for the handshaking to occur." Sari wasn't sure what that meant, but followed along.
The controls indicated connection. "This is 3A6838F0DDA1F51F, do you read?" he said. Sari raised an eyebrow. "Must be part of the hand shaking," she thought.
"I read you 3A6838F0DDA1F51F." Came the reply. "This is 14BAB1CAF5483F1E. Acknowledge."
"Acknowledged. Hello, Arcee," said Isaac, "I have Sari here with me. Successful test."
"Greetings, Isaac and Sari! Long time, no see." Said Arcee. "All is well here on the Ark-32. Isaac, Jazz wants to meet you and Sari tomorrow at the old abandoned factory where the Autobots had their base of operations. Can that be arranged?"
"Certainly, Arcee. We can be there tomorrow at 9:00am."
"Hey, Arcee, is Bumblebee there?" asked Sari.
"Right here, Sar!" Piped up Bee. "What's been going on?"
"Hey, miss you, Bee! Be glad to see you sometime. Maybe I can get a visit back in the Ark-32! That trip through the water was cool!"
"We'll see what can be arranged, Sari," said Arcee. "In the meantime, for now, we'll want to keep these communications short and official. Will talk later. Ark-32 out."
"Sumdac Tower out." Said Isaac.
"Why do they want to keep the communication short?" asked Sari.
"Because as good as my encryption protocol may be, I don't want to give the Deceptislimes the chance that they might grab enough data to try to crack it." Said her father. "We'll communicate only as much as is needed."
"Bummer!" said Sari.
The next morning, Sari and Isaac met Jazz at the abandoned factory. "Let's go see Prowl's tree, Sari," said Jazz.
The tree was intact, but in bad shape. Someone had broken in to the factory and broken several branches and ripped many leaves. "Oh, Prowl, your tree!" cried Sari. They had also scrawled graffiti on the walls and ripped his mats. "How can they do this?" She asked in anger. "Why isn't there better security on this building!?"
"It's an abandoned building, Sari. When the Autobots left, there was no one to guard it," said Isaac.
"This is not something that cannot be repaired, Sari," said Jazz. "Come here to the tree." He motioned to Sari to put her hand on the trunk. "What do you feel?"
Sari placed her hand on the bark. She grimaced and looked at Jazz. "I feel pain," she said. "But I feel life."
"Then," he said, "Let us work on restoring health."
"Professor, can your company increase security to this building, to keep vagrants out and prevent vandalism? And bring in a tree expert to nourish this tree to heal it."
"Yes, yes, right away." Isaac got on his phone and called his secretary to make the arrangements.
"Sari, you and I will work on this room." Said Jazz. "Together, we will bring it back to the way it was when Prowl was here."
"Yes, I want to do that," she said. They set about working on Prowl's room. It was the first step in her cyber-ninja training.
Thus ends chapter 1. Jazz is glad to be done with Sentinel Prime, and to have been given the opportunity to be sensei to a young new cyber-ninja, especially one as promising as Sari. There are Decepticons on the way, however, and things on Earth are about to become very complex indeed! Thanks for reading.